A Witch?
Li Wei was suddenly intrigued. This was the first time a humanoid character had appeared in Don Quixote's dream.
"Where is the Witch?" he asked leisurely, watching as Don Quixote gravely donned his armor. "I will always follow the Lord Knight's footsteps!"
"Yes, yes, Attendant, that is how it should be," Don Quixote said, patting his armor, quite pleased with his Attendant Li Wei's attitude. "Keep this up, and you'll soon become a true Knight!"
Li Wei smiled and shook his head. Holding the knife Don Quixote had given him for self-defense, he followed behind him, exiting the basement at a deliberate pace.
On a street near Sunset Park, late at night, a homeless man, high out of his mind, suddenly sensed something glowing slowly approaching him.
"G... God! Lord! You... you've revealed yourself!"
He struggled to his feet and stumbled toward the light.
Walking behind Don Quixote, Li Wei felt a bit embarrassed, even though it was three in the morning in New York and the streets were completely empty.
It had been fine before, in the dim, unlit environments of the alley and the basement. The armor might have occasionally reflected some light, but not enough to be too conspicuous.
But now, Don Quixote's silver armor glittered under the streetlights, and he was even humming a ballad he'd probably picked up from some novel as he walked.
Parading through the streets with him, Li Wei felt so embarrassed he could feel his toes curling.
"I have to ask, Lord Knight," Li Wei couldn't help but say, "where exactly are we going to find this Witch?"
"Patience, Attendant, you must have patience," Don Quixote said. "In the Forest of Mists, the Witch's minions are everywhere. We must be—"
Before he could finish, Don Quixote was tackled to the ground by a figure in ragged clothes.
"Lord!" the figure cried out, clutching Don Quixote's armor. "I'm a sinner! I failed to resist temptation! I am guilty!"
"An evil minion of the Witch!" Suddenly thrown to the ground, Don Quixote struggled desperately to get up. "Let me up! This is a sneak attack!"
"Lord! Lord! Lord! Have mercy on me, according to Your loving devotion! According to Your great compassion, blot out my transgressions! Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin!"
The figure gripped Don Quixote's shoulders and wouldn't let go. Seeing this, Li Wei rushed forward and sent the man flying with a kick. The homeless man's back slammed hard against the base of the streetlight.
"I've been tormented in Hell for so long..."
The figure's true form was revealed under the streetlight. The homeless man muttered, "When can I finally go to heaven..." before passing out.
"Get up," Li Wei said, pulling Don Quixote to his feet. "Are you all right?"
"I'm fine, Attendant!" Incredibly, Don Quixote hadn't snapped out of his sleepwalking state. He patted his armor and said defiantly, "I was just caught in a sneak attack by the Witch's servant... Otherwise, I could have easily defeated him... Just give me another chance..."
"Okay, okay, I get it," Li Wei said. "Let's head back for today. If we stay here any longer, the Witch's reinforcements might catch up to us."
Although Don Quixote was still unwilling to yield, for some reason he felt his Attendant was making a lot of sense. So, he gave up for the day and followed Li Wei back toward the basement.
On the way back, Li Wei looked at the system interface in his vision.
Just as Don Quixote was tackled, he had suddenly received a quest. In the heat of the moment, he hadn't had a chance to look at it:
[Quest: Rescue the Knight in a Moment of Crisis]
[Even the most valiant Knight can stumble. Help him out of his predicament.]
[Quest Reward: Strength +0.1, Agility +0.1]
[Quest Complete]
[Strength 1.0] -> [Strength 1.1]
[Agility 0.9] -> [Agility 1.0]
A warm current, like the soothing heat of a hot bath, spread through Li Wei's entire body.
The sensation was marvelous. It wasn't a feeling of "explosive power." Instead, he just suddenly felt... not tired anymore. His body seemed to have become lighter.
The faint, awkward feeling that had been holding back his speed vanished, replaced by a sense of fluidity.
Previously, when his Spiritual Power was 0.3 points higher than his Agility, he'd had a vague sense that his mind was reacting faster than his nerves.
It was fine during his daily routine, but in the dead of night, he would feel as if his movements couldn't quite keep up with his thoughts.
But now that his Agility had increased to 1.0, he felt that awkwardness disappear.
With this, all his weaknesses had been shored up.
'I wonder how much of a difference 1.1 Strength will make,' Li Wei thought to himself.
"Attendant! What are you dawdling for?" Don Quixote's disgruntled mumble came from up ahead. "A Knight needs his rest for the journey tomorrow."
"Coming!" Li Wei called out, deciding to test his new strength and speed at the gym tomorrow. "Lord Knight, wait for me."
"Very good, Attendant. You performed admirably today," Don Quixote said as Li Wei caught up to him. "I shall bestow a reward upon you."
A reward? Li Wei's eyes lit up. The last time he'd gotten a reward, it was an extra Gold Coin, which had started him on the path of earning enough to move out.
He was very much looking forward to what special item he might receive this time.
But he just watched as Don Quixote fumbled around his plain plate armor for a long time without producing anything.
"Very well... here is the situation," Don Quixote said, his tone unchanging. "I have been entrusted by the Duke to eradicate the Witch deep within the forest."
"Once I have eliminated the Witch, I will surely receive a boon from the Duke," he said, clapping Li Wei on the shoulder. "At that time, I will give you your reward."
Li Wei rubbed his nose and could only agree.
「Back in the basement.」
Don Quixote's snores rose and fell, as grating as a busker's off-key performance in the subway.
Li Wei took off his shirt and went into the bathroom, carefully examining his body in the cracked mirror.
A Strength of 1.1 was already beyond the scope of a normal person, and his body was beginning to show some distinct changes:
The thin layer of subcutaneous fat that had once covered his frame seemed to have vanished completely, his skin now clinging tightly to the muscle beneath.
His chest was no longer a flat plane but had taken on the shape of full, square plates of armor. An eight-pack of abs was neatly arranged, symmetrical and defined. On his sides, the V-cut lines were like a shark's gills, rising and falling faintly with each breath.
Facing the mirror, Li Wei couldn't help but imitate a pose from a short video, raising his arms to do a lat spread. His lats were already taking shape, spreading slightly like a pair of wings and forming a V-taper.
He tried clenching his fist, and several thick veins immediately bulged on his forearm, like gnarled tree roots coiled just beneath the skin.
The increase in Agility had reduced his subcutaneous fat, while the increase in Strength had enhanced his muscle mass.
"Damn, I look good," Li Wei said, running a hand over his physique, his eyes sparkling. "Is this really the difference between 0.8 and 1.1?"